Your Superpower: Coping Ahead for PMDD Symptoms
When it comes to dealing with PMDD, the "Coping Ahead" skill utilized in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is like having your own preemptive superpower.
It's all about making personalized plans to tackle upcoming stressful situations, taking a proactive stance against the monthly villain of emotional chaos.
Here's how you can put "Coping Ahead" into action:
Identify What Gets to You: Take a moment to pinpoint specific situations or experiences that tend to stir things up during the luteal phase. Is it a certain emotion-triggering event, activity, or place?
Plan Your Play: Now that you know what might shake you up, it's time to plan your response. Think about what you can do to support yourself emotionally. This could mean setting boundaries, reaching out for support, or diving into some self-care.
Go Easy on Yourself: Remember, it's perfectly okay to need a little extra TLC when dealing with PMDD. Be kind and gentle with yourself. You're facing a unique challenge, and that deserves recognition.
Build Your Toolkit: Put together a collection of techniques that really resonate with you. This could be mindfulness practices, relaxation exercises, or even creative activities. Having these tools at your fingertips is like having a safety net.
Put Your Plan into Action: When you find yourself in one of those triggering situations, refer back to your "Coping Ahead" plan. Trust yourself to put those strategies into play. You've got the strength to handle it.
Learn and Adjust: Take a moment to look back. What worked well? What could use a tweak? Use what you've learned to fine-tune your strategies for next time.
A Preemptive Superpower (Cope Ahead) Example:
Identify What Gets to You: I know that I can get really anxious doing schoolwork and attending class during my luteal phase.
Plan your Play: I will plan to finish schoolwork a little ahead of time, leaving me more free time for self-care during my luteal phase. I will plan to attend class and call a close friend on the way to class to feel connected and supported.
Go Easy on Yourself: I’ll go easy on myself during these upcoming two weeks. I’ll celebrate my small accomplishments and I’ll take care of myself. I’ll surround myself with people that are kind when I want to be around others.
Build your Toolkit: I’ll use mindfulness tools, my favorites are deep breathing and guided meditations. I’ll ensure that I get proper nutrition by planning my grocery shopping and meals in advance. I’ll take time 3 evenings a week to paint, connect with loved ones, and go on long walks.
Put your Plan into Action: Okay, I have my plan and I’m putting it into place. I feel guilty about my performance in school and I have such low energy. I will still try to go through with my plan, there is next month to tweak the plan.
Learn and Adjust: I realized that I needed more relaxation time and to get to bed sooner. I need to work on being more compassionate with myself. I ended up telling a loved one about my cope ahead plan and they helped me be easy on myself.
By embracing "Coping Ahead," you're not just confronting the chaotic villain of PMDD, you're finding your own personalized superpower of self-awareness and strength. These skills offer comfort, clarity, and a proactive approach to finding your balance. Always remember, you've got the power to navigate PMDD with grace and resilience. You've got this!
Stay tuned for the third blog in this series: Radical Acceptance and Self-Soothing During PMDD
